Mike Babcock joins the fight in mental illness awareness
If you’ve been monitoring Twitter Wednesday or watching television up in Canada, you’ve probably noticed the Let’s Talk campaign by Bell, in order to bring awareness to mental illness with the hashtag #bellletstalk.
From a string of tweets by NHL Department of Player Safety voice Patrick Burke, it has been all over the mainstream and social media universe.
9 years later, I am still in hockey. I have great family and friends. And I carefully monitor my mental health daily. #BellLetsTalk
— Patrick Burke (@BurkieYCP) January 28, 2015
Detroit Red Wings coach Mike Babcock has joined the fight.
In this video provided by TSN, Babcock explains how two families close to him recently lost members because of mental illness. Most startling is that in his entire coaching career he says only two hockey players have come forward to him to chat about mental issues with him. Think the NHL has a ‘tough guy’ problem?
“How is a man or woman supposed to be the best they can be if they have something bothering them and they can’t talk about it? That makes no sense,” he is quoted in the video.
He said once the players opened up to him, he noticed a difference.
"As soon as they talk about it, it’s therapeutic” he added.
Mind blowing that only two hockey players have ever talked with Babcock – a coach of over 20 years about this issue.
Either way, it’s good to see someone with a higher profile come out and say this is an issue and not just say ‘tough it out.’
Let’s talk everyone!
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Josh Cooper is an editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @joshuacooper
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